Found dead in lock-up

A youth arrested for snatching on Saturday night was found dead in lock-up at Thakurpukur police station, a few hours after he was produced in court and remanded in police custody on Sunday.

Buddha Sardar, 20, was found hanging from a grille mesh on the lock-upís only window near a partitioned area with a makeshift toilet.

Sardar was allegedly caught snatching a chain from a woman at Behala Chowrasta on Saturday night.

A probe has been initiated into Sardarís death.

Police sources said a preliminary inquiry has revealed that the youth died during a power cut at the police station on Sunday evening when most officers were busy with a group of rowdy Holi revellers. ďOfficers on duty feared that the youths might flee taking advantage of the darkness. Since the snatcher was alone in the lock-up, no one took notice,Ē said an officer.

After power supply was restored, a constable noticed that there was no one in the lock-up, which is under CCTV surveillance. He raised the alarm and soon Sardar was found hanging from the window mesh with a strip torn off a blanket.

The lock-up is guarded by a constable and monitored by an officer of the rank of assistant sub-inspector. ďThe OC is in charge of overall supervision. There is a CCTV camera which is monitored from the OCís room,Ē said an officer.

Sardarís body was sent for post-mortem on Monday. A senior officer at Lalbazar said departmental proceedings would be started against anyone found negligent.

Sardarís family in Bishnupur have been informed about his death, police said.

Bodies fished out

A body was found floating in Paddapukur pond at Bhowanipore on Monday morning. Dinesh Paswan, 45, had been missing since Sunday morning when he stepped out to play Holi.

The body of a man in his mid-thirties was found floating in the Hooghly near Ahiritola ghat in the evening.